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It's almost a scene out of Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" in Rochester . Well, sort of. It's not quite as scary.
Rochester resident Jason Buck says, "It's just basically a big blob of black birds. It's kind of weird."
Rochester resident Brandon Icenberg says, "It's the sounds of crows. You know, their CAW! That's all you hear."
Hundreds of crows have moved in to the grounds of the Fulton County Courthouse and it's the first time this has ever happened.
Icenberg says, "I was kind of freaked out by it."
Fulton County Commission Roger Rose says, "It really started when we had that real bad cold spell and it got way down below zero. That's when the crows decided they wanted to roost here."
The crows actually leave during the day and return just as the sun is going down. While they may not be around, they sure do leave their mark. Bird dropping are on signs, the trees and even the lights.
Fulton County maintenance supervisor Randy Grundrum says, "They're making quite a mess on the side walk."
Grundrum is the man tasked with getting rid of the birds.
Grundrum says, "I was going to get some goal ol' boys with some 12 gauges to come out some night. That was met with mixed reviews."
Don't worry, nobody's going to murder this murder of crows. The county prefers a more humane approach, like trying to scare them off with loud sounds.
Another idea, the county is looking at, is turning of the spot lights that shine on the courthouse. The thought is by turning them off, the birds will lose their protection.
Grundrum says, "There seems to be some opinion out there that the light makes them feel more secure because they feel like hawks can't swoop them as easy."
They think the crows will eventually fly the coop on their own. While they may be annoying now, one resident says he will be sad to see them go.
Buck says, "It's just soothing. It's weird to hear birds in the middle of winter."
There is some concern that there could be some health issues from the bird droppings.
The Fulton County Health Department says there really shouldn't be a problem. They say the birds would have to be there for two or more years before there would be any concerns.
Direct Source: http://www.fox28.com/Global/story.asp?S=9782514

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